Page 28 of Taken With You

Perhaps that was my fault. Maybe it was his.

And it might get us into trouble one day. But that was fine. I only wanted to think about our present and our possible future. Even if it could lead us down two far different paths.

“You’re looking all serious over there, cupcake.” He leaned down and kissed me on the cheek.

“Cupcake?”

“I don’t like calling you baby all the time. Makes it sound like I don’t remember your name.”

“You rarely call me Meadow.”

“What am I supposed to call you? Flower?”

I shuddered.

“Now what’s that look for?” Then he looked at me, a strange expression passing over his face as he shook his head. It was as if he knew that I didn’t like being called that because it was too close to Petal, my mother’s name. But he wouldn’t know that. He couldn’t. I hadn’t mentioned my mom’s name. And he didn’t know her. He didn’t know about my past.

I had to be seeing things.

“Anyway, I don’t think cupcake’s the word you want to use. Now I’m hungry.”

“I’m making you shrimp scampi, woman.”

“Oh, good. Now, I’m going to be called woman. Great.”

“Hey, better than cupcake.”

“Now I really want cupcakes.”

“How about this? After dinner, I’ll head to the store and pick you up some cupcakes. How does that sound?”

I looked up at him then, and something made my heart clutch. It couldn’t be that. Four months, and I had already pushed that aside. I could not fall in love with Beckham Masters.

I had fallen in love before, and it had screwed me over. Sure, this was completely different, and, no, I wasn’t the same person as before. But I didn’t want that. I couldn’t have that.

I didn’t know what would happen to him if I had to leave. If my past came after me again. Or if he found out who I was. Who I had been before. What would he think of me?

Would he still want me?

I couldn’t fall in love with him. But I could have him for now. That would have to be enough.

“I think after dinner, we should be just fine. Plus, I brought cheesecake.” I grinned after I said it, batting my eyelashes, and he licked his lips.

Then I imagined him licking other places, and I went damp.

Dear God, the man turned me on so very quickly. It was a problem.

“Yeah? It’s like you know I love cheesecake, woman.”

“Stop calling me woman.”

“Okay, cupcake.”

“I’m going to kick your ass.”

“Oh, you can try. But don’t worry, I can take you.”

“So you say. But all I have to do is strip naked, and then you’ll be at my mercy.”